Proficiency Testing

Proficiency testing is a valuable component of the accreditation programs offered by ASCLD/LAB. A solid proficiency testing program allows a forensic laboratory to satisfy accreditation requirements and:

• Confirm competent performance;
• Compare performance with other forensic laboratories;
• Identify improvement areas
• Have increased confidence in the laboratory’s work product.

ASCLD/LAB accreditation programs have proficiency testing requirements at three distinct levels:  Discipline level, Subdiscipline level, and the Analyst level. Requirements can be found in the specific accreditation program documents and the ASCLD/LAB Proficiency Review and Testing Program document.

Accredited laboratories authorize the approved test providers to release proficiency test results to ASCLD/LAB. Each test provider has its own mechanism for this authorization. The test provider provides ASCLD/LAB with a specially formatted report for each proficiency test. This report, commonly called the Proficiency Review Committee (PRC) Summary Report contains only the results of laboratories that have authorized the test provider to release the results to ASCLD/LAB. 

ASCLD/LAB accredited laboratories may not be the only test participants in the proficiency tests marketed by our approved test providers.  Therefore, the PRCs review the specially formatted PRC Summary Report and not the general distribution summary report released by the test provider. When compared to the general distribution summary report, the ASCLD/LAB PRC report not only contains the identity of the participating laboratory but also contains a fewer number of test participants resulting in different statistics or consensus values associated with the responses. 

Please contact Patti Williams, Proficiency Test Program Manager if you have questions about the PRCs, test providers or any aspect of our proficiency testing program.